Lightning can strike for new owners Godolphin

Lightning Moon can make a dream start for new owners Godolphin by winning the Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes, the keynote race on day one of the Dante Festival on the Knavesmire.

The Shamardal colt looked the real deal during an unbeaten 2014, and has since been snapped up by Sheikh Mohammed's powerful operation.

Lightning Moon remains in training with Ed Walker, who will now have even more incentive to keep the four-year-old on top of his form.

The powerful-looking thoroughbred will require more than determination to win this Group Two, of course, but he has the class and scope to make a real splash within the sprint division this summer.

He might, however, be a little difficult to place this year as his fondness for cut in the ground could slightly restrict options.

Happily for connections, that should not be an issue at York as conditions looks just about ideal for him.

That claim is underlined by a feisty head defeat of useful yardstick Danzeno in the Bengough Stakes at Newmarket in the autumn - a victory which left the door teasingly ajar for what might be in store now he is a year wiser.

Lightning Moon is unlikely to available at any sort of a fancy price, but, that aside, he has an awful lot going for him.

The former, trained by John Gosden, looked to have made dramatic progress over the winter when she returned to action at Newbury last month.

The daughter Duke Of Marmalade absolutely dotted up in a mile-and-a-quarter maiden, taking the scalp of the much-vaunted Ooty Hill with real authority.

Gosden, who most notably won this race with The Fugue in 2012, was quick to chart a route towards an Oaks trial, and the Musidora neatly fits the bill.

Any concerns about the ground possibly being too soft are offset by the fact she won a Doncaster maiden last October when there was plenty of rain around.

Together Forever must carry a Group One penalty for a game defeat of Agnes Stewart in the Fillies' Mile and looks an ideal sort over this longer trip.

But, like quite a few horses from Ballydoyle this year, she may need this outing to blow away any lingering cobwebs before stepping back up to the top table.

Bogart has had his ups and downs at York - he has twice unseated Amy Ryan, for instance - but he can come good again in the Infinity Tyres Stakes.

Kevin Ryan's two-times course scorer turned in a nice effort on his comeback at Beverley last month and remains 3lb lower in the weights than when he last won a race in August 2013.

Bajan Rebel was not beaten far on his return to action and should consolidate upon that in the Complete Building Services Handicap at Newcastle.

Whitecrest is the shout in the Premier Conservatory Roofs Guardian Warm Roof Fillies' Handicap at Bath, with the capable Forresters Folly likely to enjoy conditions in the Bet With Your Racing UK App Handicap Chase at Kempton.

It will also be interesting to see how Diamond Gesture gets on back over two miles in the Steadfast Scotland Novices' Handicap Chase at Perth.